La Moneuse Spéciale Noël
Brasserie de Blaugies

La Moneuse Spéciale NoëlLa Moneuse Spéciale Noël
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From:
Brasserie de Blaugies
 
Belgium
Style:
Saison
Ranked #554
ABV:
8%
Score:
87
Ranked #16,890
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 10.08%
Reviews:
111
Ratings:
175
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 13, 2024
Added:
Jan 22, 2002
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  8
A special edition of la Moneuse, extra rich for the winter season.
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Ratings by taigor:
Photo of taigor
Reviewed by taigor from New York

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured into a small glass.

A - Poured dark amber, brown color with average head which quickly dissipated leaving light lacing around the glass.

S - Mostly malts with yeast, winter spices and caramel.

T - This is where this winter ale completely surprises you. Unlike Noel it is very earthy, grassy and hoppy almost like saison/farmhouse ale. It does have yeast, citrus, honey, caramel and brown sugar but summer taste predominate.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O - Disappointing as Noel, great as saison.
Oct 25, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by Beecham from California

Mar 13, 2024
 
Rated: 4.06 by Walnut from Missouri

Jan 14, 2024
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.56/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
500ml bottle. Poured out a cloudy, amber color with a good-sized, khaki-colored head of foam. It left some lacing on the glass. It smelled tart with green apple and pear. Some biscuity notes. Nice tart fruity taste with maltiness and sweet caramel.
Jan 11, 2024
Photo of goochpunch
Reviewed by goochpunch from Texas

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Hazy amber with a thin head.
Smells of caramel malt, herbal hops, and spicy Belgian yeast.
Tastes of dates, caramelized sugar, dried apricot. Mild bitterness and a touch of acidity that helps to lift everything up.
Mouthfeel is moderate in body and carbonation.
I really dig this. I kind of want to get a bottle or two more to put away for other years.
Dec 23, 2023
 
Rated: 3.9 by mattreitz49 from Florida

Dec 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3.81 by einman from Minnesota

Dec 10, 2023
Photo of JackRWatkins
Reviewed by JackRWatkins from Georgia

4.16/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
A: Fluffy 4-Finger head. Initially weak retention, though it improves as it concentrates, moving down to three fingers. Deep Amber Color.
S: Green bottle skunk, strong and sharp graininess, strong presence of noble hop spice. Some pepper. The nose is not very expressive.
T: Immediate presence of toasted malt followed by the sharp graininess of spelt. There is a bit of a toastiness and a hint of graham cracker as well. Strong notes of pepper and what comes off as peach. There is a subtle tartness here as well and a slightly dirty, herbal finish.
M: Dry with a medium body.
O: My only real complaint about this is that the nose is very mild and I wish it had been more expressive. This is a fantastic beer. This is what saisons should be. It hits all the needed notes but still allows for some surprises. They just don't make beers like these anymore, and it's a damn shame. The lack of access to beers like this is why I homebrew. I wish we got more De Blaugies in Atlanta.
Nov 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.14 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jun 18, 2023
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

3.89/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Purchased this last fall leading up to the holiday season. My wife was using it as a decoration.

Popped the cork on the bomber and it was active! Murky golden brown color with fluffy, effervescent head and good curtain lacing. Smell and taste of spiced apples. Apricot and warm spice. Fairly dry, not really sweet. A bit thin for a holiday beer but overall pretty good.
May 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.05 by UsedMalt18 from Michigan

Mar 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by emerge077 from Illinois

Feb 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by kjkinsey from Texas

Jan 27, 2023
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

4.31/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass
Appearance – The beer pours a hazed orange amber color with a huge puffy head of off-white foam. The head has a fantastic level of retention, fading slowly over time and leaving tons of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is huge of a yeasty and bready smell mixed with some hay and a light grass. Along with these smells comes some sweeter notes of orange and candied sugar as well as a little bit of bubblegum and lots white grape. Other smells of green apple and must as well as some spice aromas of coriander and clove.
Taste – The taste starts out with a drier than I was anticipating from the nose. There is a cracker malt and light graininess that constitute the malt body, with other flavors of a light white grape and orange taste being there as well. There is a little bit of apricot and a decent spice of coriander the clove, along with a touch of must and yeast. As the taste advances the yeast gets more intense along with the funk, al while the cracker gets a little thicker in nature, taking on a more bready like taste. Some hay and herb come toward the end along with a little white pepper, leaving one with a nice crisp and moderately spiced taste.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is thin and crisp with a carbonation level that is very high and effervescent. For the cracker and spice as well as light funk and drier nature, the feel is fantastic and makes for a very easy and enjoyable sipper for which all the light flavors can shine.
Overall – A very enjoyable and flavorful brew with a super easy drinking nature. Not too dry or sweet, but just right.
Jan 11, 2023
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Reddish light brown pour with a cream colored head. Belgian yeast big time in nose, sweeter malt, white grape, decently grassy hops and hay. Taste is sweeter, malts and yeast are dominant, slight bubblegum, white grape, decent citrus. Feel is light medium body, strong malt backbone, dry airy yeast.
Dec 14, 2022
 
Rated: 3.86 by Budlum from Maryland

Aug 13, 2022
Photo of BBThunderbolt
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Cork and Caged 750 bottle poured into 14oz teku. Poured a very cloudy dark amber color with almost 3 inches of light khaki head that had very good retention and no lacing.

The aroma had a strong yeast scent upon the pop of the cork. Closer investigation reveals solid grain, a spiciness that seems Rye-like, and some floral aspects as well.

Very similar on the tongue, the yeast and grains combined in interesting ways, providing different flavors throughout the bottle.

The body was a bit fuller than usual for a Saison, was smooth with very good carb throughout, and had an initially dry finish that dried out even more after a few moments.

Drinkability was good, no problem finishing the bottle.

Overall, a pretty interesting brew. Certainly worth a shot if you see it.
Apr 30, 2022
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.06/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. A bit of a gusher initially, then pours a hazy, medium reddish orange with a massive off-white head that dissipated quickly at first, then maintained a long lasting one finger layer. Aroma of grainy malt with a touch of caramel, faint citrus, clove and winter spicing. Flavor is grainy, caramel and bready malt, clove, brown bread, apple and faint citrus and hints of other winter spices. Medium bodied with sharp carbonation. A pleasant holiday saison with some fruit notes leaning to a Belgian strong dark ale, but maintaining the farmhouse yeast edge of funk. Interestingly is on the edge of dry and slightly sweet, with dryness dominating, but with faint wisps of light sweetness through the taste. A bit late to this bottle, but nice seasonal take on a saison from this always solid small brewery.
Mar 28, 2022
Photo of Jo_Renish
Reviewed by Jo_Renish from Vermont

4.34/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a belgian tulip @ 40º.

Appearance - Pours an autumn amber with approximately one and a half finger of head that retains fairly well. Partially opaque with visible "sediment" present.

Aroma - Flooded with a face full of lemon zest, clove, white grape and sour cherries. No detectable funk as a product of culture.

Taste - Thwacked by granny smith apple, closely followed by lemon peel and white grape. A detectable but subtle caramel profile ties this pour up tightly.

Mouthfeel - Light, crisp carbonation with a medium viscosity that moves swiftly over the palette.

Overall - I really enjoyed this beer and regret not buying two bottles! Very complex but easily dissected by even the most infantile palette.
Jan 11, 2021
Photo of SABERG
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

3.89/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from an undated 500 ml cage and cork bottle into the test glass.
A - Dark copper color, with no sign of carbonation. Bottle opened with a zephyr of evidence. No cap, no ring.
S - Young cherry, some oak tannin, clove, grape skin, hint of green apple. add some nutmeg to the mix.
T - A bit of fruit cake as the overarching descriptor, in a good way. A very delicate earthy grain mix is the back stop to the cherry, and nutmeg.
M - Medium in body, almost still. Semi sweet start, then a pleasant tartness stops by to say hello. The finish is strong, in a Belgian strong catagory but lighter.
O - I like the offering quite a bit, I will look for another bottle to compare notes, I feel this one is old a bit flabby, but I do trust the brewers, and will try again
Dec 13, 2020
La Moneuse Spéciale Noël from Brasserie de Blaugies
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 175 ratings